


Change

by snek_snacc



Series: Sanders Sides Ship Request Fills [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Lilypadton, M/M, Moceit - Freeform, Morality | Patton Sanders Needs a Hug, could be read as romantic or platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29024358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snek_snacc/pseuds/snek_snacc
Summary: When Patton awakes weeks after the events of Putting Others First to find that he is exhibiting frog traits, he begins to panic. Fearing this means Thomas doesn't want him around anymore he hides himself in his room. His absence doesn't go unnoticed by Janus, however, and he goes to search for the only light side who seems to accept his presence.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides Ship Request Fills [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022229
Comments: 3
Kudos: 51





	Change

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Patton starts showing frog traits & freaks out thinking Thomas is rejecting him. Janus comforts him.
> 
> Requested by @bluebandedagate on Tumblr

All the lights in Patton’s room were turned off and the curtains pulled shut, leaving the room in complete darkness. It would have been silent as well, were it not for the sniffles coming from said side who was curled up underneath his covers, tears streaming down his cheeks despite how hard he had tried to blink them away. 

Patton had woken up that morning with a horrified gasp upon seeing his reflection in the mirror. Splotches of moist, slick green skin had started to pop up sporadically across his body, and his eyes had formed an orange tint with his pupils becoming subtly more dark and slanted. 

The sight made his stomach churn. Only the dark sides ever exhibited any animal traits, and while he and subsequently Thomas had started seeing them in a different light, the fact that he was now changing appearance couldn’t be good. Despite how hard he had been trying to loosen up a bit Thomas’s view of him was changing, and not for the better.

He sunk back into bed, not daring to think about facing the others in this state.

\---

Since the last episode’s ordeal there was a noticeable tension in the mindscape. The sides would silently shuffle through the kitchen every now and then during the day. Roman and Virgil seemed to stay close, throwing dirty looks Janus’s way, and Logan drifted about his business expressionless, acting as if he didn’t even notice the others around him, before retreating back to his room for the rest of the day. With the strain between everyone it was easy for Patton’s absence and failed attempts to lighten the mood to go unnoticed. 

It wasn’t until afternoon that Janus realized he was missing when he came into the commons for their usual chat (a routine that they had fallen into in the weeks since the last video). It was then that he also registered he hadn’t seen Patton at all that day. He may not have been welcomed in the light side of the mindscape for very long, but that didn’t seem like normal Patton behavior. A spark of worry came over him and immediately he sunk out in search of the other.

His first instincts led him to the main hallway of the light side, where all the doors to their rooms were. He couldn’t help but notice his own door was currently residing there. In the past few weeks it had been constantly switching at random between here and its place in the dark sides half, as if the mindscape couldn’t quite decide where to put it. Next to it was the light blue door leading to Patton’s room, littered with brightly colored stickers of everything cheerful from hearts to smiling cookies on its exterior. He knocked on it gently. “Patton? Are you in there?”

He was met with the sound of shuffling from the other side and Patton spoke up, his voice carrying an obvious over-chipper tone that was only made more apparent by the way his voice cracked when he spoke. “Oh, Janus, yes, I’m just feeling a little sick though kiddo, I wouldn’t come in.”

The scent of lies lingering in the air became even more apparently overwhelming when Janus pushed open the door and stepped into the darkened room.

His gaze fell on the lump of sheets on the bed. A pathetic final attempt at a cough came out from them as Patton mumbled something about not wanting him to get sick before he threw the covers off the figure entirely. Unable to make out much more than Patton’s form he switched on the nightstand lamp and was greeted with the sight of the other’s current situation. 

Patton looked away, eyes brimming with tears.

Janus was admittedly surprised at the sight. The incident with “Lilypadton” had already been an unexpected factor in the events after the wedding. Never did he think that it would carry into his appearance afterwards.

Before he had a chance to process words of comfort Patton cried out in a choked sob, “Why is this happening to me?” His voice sounded deeper than usual, his words carrying a slight reverberation to them. “I’ve tried so hard to loosen up but it doesn’t matter, I’m still hurting Thomas and now-” he stifled what sounded like a cross between a sob and a croak, “and now he doesn’t even like me.”

Janus reached out and gripped Patton’s hand. “And what makes you think that?”

“This!” he gestured across himself, “All of this. I wouldn’t look like this if he didn’t think I was bad.”

Janus couldn’t help but grimace at that. “Thank you Patton.”

“Wha- oh,” his eyes widened, suddenly remembering the scales decorating the other sides face, “I’m sorry, I didn’t, I mean you’re-”

Janus sighed. This was new for all of them, he couldn’t blame Patton for the way he was feeling right now. “I know,” he said, “It’s alright.” He pulled him into a hug, Patton leaning into his chest, appreciating the comforting embrace.

Janus held him silently a moment, choosing his next words carefully. 

“You know, snakes almost universally represent trickery. Deceitfulness. Goodness knows Thomas knows that, in part thanks to you.”

Patton hummed in acknowledgment.

“Well, frogs have been known to symbolize a rebirth of sorts, things changing. That’s not always a bad thing either. You even said something along those lines yourself if I recall.”

Patton nodded, his tears slowing their fall and beginning to dry.

“Thomas’ view of you, of all of us, has altered since he was younger, it’s probably even changed quite a bit from a month or a week ago. Your job as his morality can and should be something fluid, and he’s now starting to really understand that. Maybe that thought process is manifesting partially in your physical appearance, but that doesn’t lessen the importance of your role, and it certainly doesn’t mean Thomas no longer wants or needs you.”

Patton sat up a bit, wiping the remaining wetness from his face. 

“Thank you, Janus,” he said, given the other a gentle smile.

He gave him one last squeeze before breaking away and standing up. “Of course dear heart.”

He gave Patton an amused look, taking in his new appearance. “Just between you and I,” he said, “green _totally isn’t_ your color. Just, don’t try to make a huge deal out of it. I think Remus has laid claim to it for his Disney villain aesthetic.”

Patton laughed as the two of them sunk out.


End file.
